Father Figure
by accio-ambition
Summary: A collection of interwoven oneshots about Captain Swan and the various fatherly situations that might occur. Chapters can be read separately or consecutively.
1. Mistaken Identity

He's quite perceptive. It's a trait he prides himself on having, even if his captain – well, former captain now – didn't appreciate it. More often than not, his uncanny ability to spot a would-be munity or the extra rations the captain stashed would land him in the brig for the night or swabbing the deck during the bewitching hours.

In other words, just as he fears it's done in this moment, the skill often got him into trouble.

He's still entranced by the feel of her lithe body against his. It was a new sensation, one he's not sure he deserves with his cowardice and hesitancy. The slightest hints of roses and cinnamon still waft around him. It's wonderfully feminine for such a tough lass, and yet there's no other scent that fully captures her essence.

It's going to take quite a while and many more moments to himself than usual to recover from her.

But now she's off, swaying her hips in an ungodly manner, blonde hair flicking to and fro as she joins up with her boy. Henry's certainly inherited her tenacity and gumption, but neither her fair hair nor her height.

It's not the first time since Killian's met him that the feeling of severe absence intensifies as he watches mother and son interact. She's tousling his hair and he's shoving her, not quite away, just off his head, with the awkward laughter of an embarrassed child. He feels like he should be part of it, join in on the jokes. Not just because his heart's never felt so free, but because it's necessary. Almost like it's his job to cherish this time together until his duty to protect them kicks in, even though he knows they're more than capable on their own.

He feels like they're family. And maybe in this alternate reality of theirs, they are.

 _Only one way to find out._

Emma calls him over with a wave and he takes swift steps to meet them.

"Henry managed to find some sort of," she points to the food on a stick in her son's hands, "meat. I think."

The boy shrugs as he takes another bite. "Tastes like chicken." He offers the stick to Killian, who declines a bite. Henry shrugs again and mutters, "More for me."

"Lead the way, teenage trashcan," Emma teases, motioning forward despite the boy's grimace. "Take us to the food." With a grin over her shoulder, Emma follows her son down the alleys.

She's mesmerizing and her carefree attitude toward him, her complete trust and acceptance of him and his handicaps…well, he can help but chuckle in disbelief at the entire situation.

Killian rushes after them, but even his knowledge of the streets can't aid him in keeping up with the adventurous duo. It causes him a bit of panic, them being lost amongst the dock crowds. He finally finds her, considering some trinkets and tchotchkes at a tent of a vendor lady.

"Anything catch your fancy, love?" he asks in her ear. It's uncharacteristic of him – Liam taught him that to frighten a lady is to tempt the gods – but it feels right, him sneaking up behind her and whispering something in her ear. But he's surprised her, can tell by the way she skittishly jumps upon hearing his voice, and he's just about to apologize profusely when he notices her body's inclination to fall into him.

This woman is something else.

"I'm so so sorry," he apologizes. "Beg your pardon. I only meant to have a bit of fun."

She huffs out a laugh. "Don't worry about it," Emma assures him. Moving to the next vendor, she says, "Henry's pulled worse pranks on me."

The gods must've heard his innermost thoughts. This is the opening in the conversation he's awaited. Killian looks down to their feet and scratches behind his ear, taking these precious seconds to screw up what little courage he has. "Um, actually," he starts, but her attention's divided between him and a delicate ring on the table before them. This is an important conversation, one he doesn't want to repeat because he doesn't think he could take the pressure of having it twice. It's only natural, then, or so he tells himself, for him to grab her hand in his. It garners her attention, and it's her eyes, bright with hope, that give him the courage to soldier on. "I've an inquiry about your boy."

"Ask away," she responds. Her smile is sweet and he imagines his other self is completely enamored with the way it lights her up.

"You, um, you mentioned we were quite close in your world," he says quietly. His hands are moving before him as if trying to physically grab the words he desires from the charged air between them.

"I did," she agrees. She's facing him completely now and he's so flustered, Killian's positive she can hear him gulp away his distress.

"And Henry said I taught him all he knows of sailing."

"Which you did." Emma already knows him too well, can see a question in his eyes. "What are you wondering?"

"My son," Killian spits out. Blood rushes to his cheeks and ears, but he still feels the need to clarify. "Henry: is he my son?"

Emma's face falls minutely and it's only then does he realize how stupid an idea it ever was. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to assume," he babbles. "It's just, he sort of has my hair and he and I just seemed to have –"

She's shaking her head, but there's a small smile on her lips when she speaks. "No, you're not Henry's father," she tells him. Her eyes get sad for a moment as she says, "His dad's gone," and it makes Killian even more shameful he brought it up in the first place.

"I'm truly sorry, Emma," he apologizes again. "I didn't mean to touch on such a sensitive topic. I just – you said we were close and –"

Her hand comes to cradle his cheek and he leans into the softness her skin offers. He feels the fingers of her other hand pulse around his. He hadn't even realized they were still linked in that manner. Her touch shocks him into silence, the only remnant of his gaffe the blush on his cheeks.

"We are close," Emma reassures him. "Henry's dad isn't around, but you are." Her hand falls back to her side and she smiles up at him. "He trusts you. I trust him with you."

"Really?" He can't say he's all too stunned, given the way mother and son have been acting around him, but it still pleases him to hear that, while Henry isn't his by blood, he's beginning to believe he's kin in nearly every other way.

Emma nods. "You're my boys," she says simply with a shrug.

His heart could not possibly fly higher than it is now.

But the world comes crashing around them when Henry, out of breath, runs up to them from out of the crowd.

"They're here," he gasps. "Lily, the soldiers. They're here."

Killian's eyes shoot up and immediately find the Evil Queen's regalia among the scraps of fabric peasants wear. "Get behind me," he demands of Emma and her son.

"Killian, you can take them by yourself." Worry tinges Emma's voice, her hand coming up on his shoulder as his reaches for his sword.

"I won't let them hurt you," he mutters back to her. "I'm going to put your sword fighting lesson to use."

"Killian." It's almost a whine and a cry at once, one that nearly breaks him, but he stands firm, stands up for himself and the people he…

Well, the people he loves.

"I will protect you, Emma," he promises. "You and Henry will get back to your time, but only if you survive."

Emma's expression scares him to death, but the Queen is rapidly approaching and time is short. She pushes Henry away, back into the mob of passing faces, and, with a hasty kiss to his lips that still manages to send him reeling, she hurries after her son.

God, that woman will be the death of him.

 **a/n: obligatory Killian-thinking-Henry's-his-son story to start off this five or six part series of one-shots about, you guessed it, father-like relationships. kind of. it's just gonna be fluff because i need it. you need it. everyone needs it. you don't necessarily keep up with them. these stories can be read as stand alones, but they also sort of interconnect.**

 **as always, feel free to leave a word. until next time.**


	2. Counsel Contest

Opposites attract. Kind of.

Her mom is the quintessential romantic. Your first love is your true love, you'll always fine your way together, and the fates will intervene as they see fit. But it'll all end happily ever after. It's how her life twisted and turned to reach the current chapter of her story.

Her father is a realist. Sort of. He, too, believes in happy endings, but understands life is about choices you sometimes don't like making. He'd been married once before, been in love once before, albeit under confusing circumstances, before he found his way to her.

She needs her father now. It's not a topic a daughter usually discusses with her father, but he'll tell her the truth instead of what she wants to hear.

They're at the station one day, catching up on paperwork and each other's lives. How her brother's doing now that he faces the terrible twos and how she's acclimating back to a lighter world. It's been difficult to find time for just the two of them to talk, even though they work together. Killian's hardly left her side since she returned and David, she can tell, understands. She'd gone dark, then gone altogether. Her sacrifice took her to Camelot, where she'd hid out and torn herself apart for a few weeks before they'd found her. Before _he'd_ found her. It'd nearly broken him, broken them, but when he finally answered her declaration of love with equal fervor, the darkness within melted into the night.

Their wounds, mental and physical alike, were still raw, leading to their rare separations, but Killian had to keep his plans with Henry. They'd taken to sailing together, escaping reality for a few hours a week, in her absence. Loathe was Emma to be the reason the former deckhand and lieutenant got off schedule.

"Dad," she starts off slowly, shifting around in her desk chair. "Can I ask you something?"

"Anything, Emma," he answers. David's not really paying attention to her, shuffling papers across his desk.

"What d'you think about asking Hook to marry me?"

That stops him dead in his tracks. Now all his attention's on her, from his booted toes to his piercing blue-grey eyes.

"What was that now?" he asks. Dropping all semblance of actually working, Charming rolls his chair next to his daughter's and takes her hand.

"You heard me," Emma says. "What if Killian and I got married?"

"Did that pirate already ask you? Because if he did, he didn't ask my permission-"

"And he doesn't need to," Emma firmly says. She glares at her father and his old world tendencies, but at least he has the decency to look sheepish when he shrugs. "No, he didn't ask me. I asked about me proposing to him."

"I don't know Emma," David muses. "Shouldn't you talk about this stuff with your mother?"

"She's just going to insist I wait for him to make the moves, but then we'll never move forward." She sighs and spins so she looks directly at Charming. "I love Killian, I really do, but the man's so gentlemanly he won't sneeze without asking if I'm okay with it."

David chuckles, but Emma continues. "And I don't want to be one of those girls who tries to subliminally message him into proposing because (a) no, that's not me and (b) that's rude to him." She slides deeper into her chair, legs bending to avoid hitting David's, and heaves an enormous sigh. "But, I mean, I've done everything first so far and as unconventional as our story is, I kinda want this part to be…normal."

Moving his hand to rest on her knee, David gives it a tight, reassuring squeeze. "Why don't you ask him about it?" he suggests, only to be met with his daughter's moan. "Just bring it up in conversation and see what he thinks of it."

"Because he'll do anything to make me happy, regardless of how it makes him feel."

"And how do you want him to feel?"

"I want him to be happy."

A grin stretches across David's lips and he squeezes her knee again. "Then you guys are on the same page," he assures her. "You want the other's happiness because it makes you happy."

Emma rolls her eyes. "David, this is not the time for your riddles."

He laughs. "You're both afraid even through you shouldn't be."

Her ears perk at the word 'both' and straightens her spine in her chair. "Wait, both? You mean he's talked to _you_ about this before?"

Standing up, Charming runs his fingers across his lips, mimicking a zipper. He rolls his chair back to his desk. "I say if you want to marry the pirate, marry him. God knows waiting will just give another villain time to push it off."

Smiling, Emma tilts her head to her shoulder. She recognizes a change in conversation topic, especially a poorly handled one such as _the possibility of Killian already discussing their marriage with her father_ , but lets it go _._ For now. "Really? You think it's a good idea?"

"Are you happy?" he asks simply.

"Incredibly."

"Then I think it's the best idea you've ever had." David winks at her from across the station. And, as nonchalantly as possible, adds, "Besides, I want to see my girl beat that pirate to the punch."

 **a/n: and part two done. some daddy charming to start off the weekend right.**

 **as always, feel free to leave a word or an idea. i can't tell you when the next part'll be up because i'm not finished editing it yet.**


	3. Just One Problem

It's raining when she wakes. Emma quietly groans as she crawls from under the covers. Killian shifts next to her, but doesn't rouse. Just inhales deeply and sighs contently against the sheets.

Good, she thinks. Throwing on a sweatshirt and some gym shorts, she throws one last glance at her dozing pirate before she shuffles down the hall to Henry's room.

Her knock on the door is tentative. She barely hears the moans of her discontented son from the other side, muted by the wood. She creaks the door open and steps in.

"What's wrong?" Henry grumbles. His head's buried beneath his pillow and his gangly teenage form is sprawled all over the mattress.

"It's raining," Emma murmurs, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. Her hand rests on his back, brushing up and down his spine.

"I know, Mom," he mumbles. "I can hear it on the roof."

"And does Killian take the Jolly out when it rains?" she asks the leading question.

Under his pillow, Henry shakes his head and sighs. "No, he doesn't." He rolls over, finally facing her, and meets Emma's eyes with groggy ones of his own. "So what's the plan now?" he asks.

Emma shrugs and bends till her forehead presses against his. "That's why I'm in here. I was hoping you had an idea."

Henry sits up, pushes Emma away until he's upright, then hugs his mom close. Sleep is still in his voice when he suggests, "Maybe move Operation Velociraptor inside to Granny's?"

Shaking her head, Emma mutters, "No, that takes away the specialness of it all."

She can practically hear his eyes rolling. "You know he's going to say yes even if you just scream it at him during an argument."

"I know," she admits, "but still. I want to make it memorable."

With a final tight squeeze, Henry releases her and sits back. Emma ruffles his hair, still amazed that her little boy is growing up, now taller than both his mothers, to be an even better young man. He's been a trooper these past couples weeks, helping her meticulously plan Operation Velociraptor and keeping it under wraps. When she'd approached him at first, proposed the idea of proposing to Killian, a huge smiled crossed his face.

"What?" she'd asked, smiling herself because _why the hell not_ , Henry's grins were infectious and it wasn't as if the topic of conversation did anything to damper her mood.

"Took you long enough," Henry'd chuckled. "I've literally been thinking of operation names since you came back."

"Really?" Emma laughed. She threw her arm over his shoulder and pulled him close.

"I was stuck between velociraptor and koala."

"Definitely velociraptor."

"I don't know," he'd mused, "you two move slow like koalas."

He'd paid for that jab by cleaning the dishes that night.

Since then, they'd formulated the perfect proposal for the infamous Captain Hook: make it like any other day. Killian himself had said he already had his happy ending, so why try and do one better? Go on the Jolly Roger, spend a nice day on the water, have a picnic on the main deck. It's something they did often and it would add keep the surprise just that a little longer. The plan, as it was, was for Henry to disappear below deck for a little bit while she casually popped the question to her unsuspecting beau.

Except now it's raining.

"Should I just wait it out?" she pondered. "See if the weather gets better tomorrow?"

But Henry's already shaking his head. "You've screwed up all your courage already. You've gotta do it today."

"Do what now?" The pair turns their attention to the doorway, where Killian leans against the frame, arms crossed.

Caught off guard and worried the entire operation was compromised, Emma quickly inquires how long he'd been eavesdropping.

"It's not eavesdropping if the door's open, love," he counters with a smirk. Emma rolls her eyes as Killian swaggers over to Henry's bed. "Your side of the bed was empty and, I'll admit, it did concern me. All I know is you need to do something today."

"Don't we all," she responds. Emma gratefully accepts the kiss he presses to her lips.

"We were just saying how we've gotta go get food today," Henry easily lies.

"Didn't we replenish stocks earlier this week?" Killian asks, his brow rising in confusion.

"We forgot Poptarts," Emma says, almost a little too fast. She's not as talented a fibber anymore, not as gifted as her son, but she's had her practice and he had to inherit his skills from someone.

Killian's noise of understanding warms her heart. This man barely knows how to work a toaster, but damn if he doesn't know how important those squares of sugar are to her. "Well, I supposed I should return to the shop post haste."

"Actually," Emma halts him by getting to her feet and placing a hand on his arm, "me and Henry will get them. David mentioned last night that he wanted you to come into the station today."

With a modest and sarcastic bow Killian says, "Then who am I to go against a royal's wishes?"

It earns him a slap on the ass as he leaves the room and a tired laugh from Henry. Making sure Killian's out of hearing's reach before following him, Emma leans back into her son's room and tells him, "Text David, tell him to get to the station and distract Hook while we figure out a new plan"

"What if Gramps asks questions?"

"Just answer them." She disappears down the hall before popping her head back in. "But tell him it's a surprise.

Henry nods as his mother walks away. "This'll be interesting," he says to no one under his breath. He grabs his phone from the bedside table and send off the text.

His grandfather's a horrible secret keeper.

0000

"The prodigal son returns," Killian announces with a flourish. His hair's dripping, water rolling down his neck and spine. The weather doesn't seem to want to cease, almost feels like its worsening, but old sailor's bones tell him this storm is nothing to fear.

"I never left" is David's retort. The prince sends the other man a humbling glance that only makes Killian's smirk grow.

"Aye, though it might be the case," he says, wagging a finger at the seated sheriff, "rumors swirl you needed a dose of dashing pirate to aid your efforts."

Charming scoffs out a "hardly," and promptly returns to his novel.

It is unusual, he will admit. Generally when Swan or her father requests his assistance, evil once again roams the streets of Storybrooke. But nothing and no one new has appeared to his knowledge. Killian's confident enough in his relationship to know Emma would tell him of even inklings of a new villain, but there's been no discussion of such. Only sweet nothings whispered after dark and concerns of Henry's grades discussed over the dinner table.

Domestic. It's all very domestic, something he can hardly recall childhood memories of, but is happily making new ones with Emma and her boy.

And even if Swan had neglected to mention a new concern, willingly withheld information from him, his mate is nothing if not the picture of unpressed. Usually at the appearance of a new desperado, David's answering talking phones and worrying over his wife and children.

But no. Now, with his feet on his desk and book in hand, he practically looks like he's on holiday, were it not for the darkness of fatigue beneath his eyes.

Something's amiss.

"Dave," Killian says. The prince looks up, his eyebrows raised. "Why am I here?"

Heaving out an exhale, David stands, hands coming to rest on his hips. His eyes search the room and when they land on a pile of boxes, his excuse is "I need you to sort through those boxes."

"For what?"

Charming's hesitation has him rolling his eyes. This is all the confirmation he needs.

"What am I doing here, mate?" Killian asks. He carelessly throws his hand toward the random boxes. "You don't need me here, so why take me away from a nice opportunity of a day at home?" His eyes narrow suspiciously. "You aren't still on about the kohl-lined eye jabs, are you? Or Emma and my's courtship?"

"God no." David's swift to dispel those thoughts, much to Killian's joy. He shakes his head. "No, Henry just texted me earlier and told me to distract you."

That stuns Killian. "Distract me?" David nods. "But why would I need occupied when they were just going to the market?" The prince shrugs, but there's something in his expression that makes Killian believe he knows more.

A rock sinks into his stomach. Something most certainly is awry.

"What's wrong?" he inquires frantically. With each new word issued from his mouth, Kilian steps closer to David. If anything is the matter with his Swan or her son, he'll do anything to fix it. Just as soon as he knows how. "Is Emma ill? Or Henry? Are they okay?"

Waving the pirate off and away, the princes reassures him. "No, they're both fine. They just needed some time away from you. To prepare," he adds.

Killian's head retracts, his facial features scrunching in further confusion. "Prepare?" he repeats. "Prepare for what?"

David recoils. "That I can't tell you," he says, taking his seat once more. "Been sworn to secrecy. You know how Henry is."

The way his mate nonchalantly returns to his novel rubs Killian the wrong way. It's almost too calm, too premeditated. Like Dave's hiding something.

"Nothing's wrong with Emma or Henry?" he ask again. Charming shakes his head. "And nothing's the matter with you and your missus and babe?"

"Everyone's fine, Hook," David enunciates. With a side eye, he says, "we're excited."

"About what?"

Shutting his book, David leans forward and looks directly at Killian. His words come out heavy, as if there's a reason behind every single one of them. "We're awaiting a new family member."

"You and Snow are expecting?" Killian says incredulously. He hadn't known they wanted more children, but that topic had never really come up in conversation on their guys' nights. "Congratulations mate."

"No," David says. He's beginning to lose patience, if his voice is any indication.

Killian feels his eyes go wide with his next thought. "Is Emma with child?" he asks quietly. They hadn't talked about it either, never really gotten around to envisioning a future that far ahead, but they certainly weren't taking extreme caution to prevent the possibility.

But David's glare told him his guess was, once again, wrong. "She better not be," he growls.

Killian throws up his arms in frustration. "Bloody hell, David, what the hell do you mean?"

"You!" David shouts, and the brevity of that one syllable causes Killian to take an actual step back.

"Pardon?"

David sighs. "Henry told me not to tell you, but Emma was gonna propose to you today. Take you out on the water and ask you if you wanted to marry her, but she can't-"

"Because of the rain," Killian finishes for him. His look has hazed, his vision gone out of focus, while his friend explained the situation.

Nodding, David says, "She just needed you out of the house so she could rally and go to plan B."

It's quiet for a minute as Killian processes these new developments. When he finally wraps his head around the news, all he can say is "she wants to marry me?"

Charming nods again, a smile spreading across his face this time. "She's been planning today for weeks. Enlisted Henry and even asked for my blessing."

His brow cocks. "Emma asked for your blessing?" he asks.

The prince shrugs. "Wanted to know if she should wait for you to catch up to her or if she should just ask you and I said go for it."

"She…" Killian's floundering for any words at this point. His darling Swan wanted to be his wife. _Wants_ to be his wife. He gathers his wits somewhat and focuses on her father. "You're okay with the union?"

David nods, trying to keep his growing grin under wraps.

"Bloody hell," Killian mutters, "that woman will be the death of me."

That doesn't stop him from spinning around running all the way back home.

0000

Emma has thought of every conceivable alternative plan and nixed each one.

"I still don't understand why you cant just ask him, plain and simple," Henry kept saying. "All these thought our proposals are for girls."

"Don't question your mother," she'd reply.

"I'll keep questioning her if she keeps thinking that how she asks Killian to marry is more important than actually asking," he sassily reoirts.

That being said, her confidence is waning rapidly.

"Maybe it's a sign," she keeps telling Henry from across the kitchen table.

"No, it's not," her son keeps insisting. "It's just a bump in the road."

Groaning, she plunks her head on top of her crossed forearms. "'Just another bump in the road' has become the tagline of this relationship."

Henry reaches across the table and pats her head. "Don't give up," he says, "We'll figure something out."

Her suffering is shortened by a knock on the door. She sighs in relief: her mother's finally made it over to help assuage her panic. _Took her long enough._

Except when she opens the door, she's met with the hunched figure of her pirate. He's soaked, body supported by the side of the house, his dark hair dropping in his face.

"Killian?" she squeaks. He's supposed to be at the station until Henry calls David and gives him the go-ahead.

But the next words from his mouth surprise her even further.

"Marry me," he breathes. "Marry me, Emma, and make my happy ending ours."

She's sure her mouth is wide open and all she can think about is why he knocked when he has a key.

"How'd you," she starts to ask, but Henry's yell from the other room answers for her.

"I told you Gramps was a horrible secret keeper!"

"In his defense, I kept poking and prodding him for intel," Killian says. He releases a small chuckle, but then turns serious again. "C'mon, Swan. Don't leave a man's heart exposed."

Tilting her head, Emma steps back to let him in from the rain, their eyes never leaving the other's. "You always ruining things, you know," she teases him easily.

He nods, licking at his bottom lip. "Aye, though technically Mother Nature foiled this endeavor," he jokes back. Jutting out his chin, he repeats himself: "Marry me, Swan."

She grabs hold of the lapels of his jacket and pulls him until their noses brush and their foreheads press together. The rain water on him soaks through her dry clothes, but honestly, nothing she could ever plan could feel as perfect as this.

"It's about time, pirate."

 **a/n: yayyyyyy part three. i dont know if this counts as fatherly things, but, i mean, cmon. i practically set it up last time. so shhh, i cheated, but only a little bit.**

 **if youre reading shower streams, you should also look forward to an update today because ive been super productive this week.**

 **as always, feel free to leave a word. until next time.**


	4. Bump in the Road

The knock on the door reverberates through the silent house. It's a hollow sound, much like the feeling humming through his body.

It's not that he's upset about this predicament. Quite the opposite in fact: he believes it hard to find any man happier than he has been since Swan told him she was pregnant.

But Henry…the lad's got the right to the emotions he's feeling right now, he'll give him that. That doesn't give him the privilege to go slamming doors and causing his mother to tear up when they shared the news.

"Go away," the voice says from the other side of the door. It's hoarse and muffled and Killian was a teenage boy once. He knows that tone comes from anger and sorrow swallowed and muted as if nothing is the matter. It's been a while, centuries in fact, since he himself has felt that sentiment.

"Henry," he drawls. Killian opens the door slowly, letting the hinges breathe out old air. "Henry, talk to me."

The teenager's curled up on his bed, facing the window despite it being curtained. His head lies on one pillow while another remained hugged between his arms.

"Henry, lad, what's the matter?"

"Please," he scoffs. Killian sees his shoulders huff with the sound, but Henry does nothing more to face him. "Look, you and my mom getting married – totally fine with that. Go for it, lemme be the ring bearer." Only then does he flop onto his back, pillow still clutched to his chest, and stares the pirate down. "A sibling?" Henry sits up, his lanky legs swinging over the mattress, eye contact never breaking. "Killian, I really like you, you know that, but another kid?"

"I know, it's not something we necessarily planned too extensively," Killian admits. Joining the teenager on the bed, he rests his hook gentle on his back, an offering of comfort. "But aren't you excited?"

"Now?" Henry shakes his head vehemently. "Not in the slightest."

"And why not?"

At first, all he gets as a reply is a shrug. Moments later though, it's followed by "It's a lot to take in."

Killian sighs and moves his hook to Henry's shoulder, pulling the boy closer to him. "Are you worried, perhaps?

"Perhaps," Henry echoes him quietly.

Again, Killian sighs. When he was this age, Liam had been away for quite a while and he was on his own, mere days from joining in the navy himself. The specifics are all sorts of foggy now, centuries separating the memory and the present, but the emotion, the absolute uncertainty in himself he'd felt in those days before his enlistment, is clear as the sea on a sunny day.

"Henry, you, of all whom I know, are the most adaptive. You have been thrown about by villains, cursed, and kidnapped, and yet you sit here, worried over a new child's place in this perplexing life of yours."

"It's sort of a big deal." This time, Henry sighs. "Mom's gonna have to take care of it and I already know what that's like because Mom sometimes takes care of Roland and me and I'm not used to it."

"None of us are going to be used to it," Killian chuckles. "I've not grown comfortable around your uncle and now I'm to be a father myself." He shakes Henry by the shoulders gently until the boy mutters pleas to cease with a grin. "It's going to be a learning experience for us all."

"But Mom-"  
"Is currently quite upset," Killian cuts him off. Henry's eyes go wide. "Your reaction wasn't exactly what she thought it would be. If I might make a suggestion, you should go downstairs and talk with her."

"Yeah, but-"

"Henry," he says firmly. If he's to be a father, he ought to start acting like one while he's got the time. "This house is in for rough seas. Things are going to change and we are going to get frustrated with each other and if David is any part right, you're going to want to spend a lot more time with your other mother. But that doesn't mean that we aren't all a little frightened of the future."

A small, more sure smile grows on Henry's face. "But we'll get through this together."

And Killian can't help but mirror it on his own. "We'll get through this together."

 **a/n: since its father's day, it makes sense that i should share this installment. go give your dads and granddads and uncles and father figures some love from me today :)**


	5. Unnecessary Secret

She's nervous.

He's nervous.

Neither of them, they've agreed, has ever encountered a situation as harrowing as this one.

"Maybe I should inform them, Swan," Killian says, his thumb stroking hers atop a table at Granny's. "Or Henry. Perhaps that way they won't hurt you."

"Don't be stupid, Hook," she scoffs. He knows his love means business then – she only ever calls him by his moniker when the ordeal is serious. "My father will murder you before my eyes if you say anything. And it's not Henry's news to tell." Emma squeezes his hand in return. His gaze moves to meet hers and they share a small, joyful smile. "Don't worry. They're my parents. They love me too much to hurt me."

"But I promised I'd guard you, love."

"And by letting me do the talking, you will be doing so." Scooting out of her side of the booth and moving in next to him, never letting go of his hand, Emma slides up to his shoulder "It's going to be fine."

"Do we have to share this news at all?" he asks. It's almost a whine and Emma smirks for the childishness of his tone.

"Don't you want to?" she counters. "It won't be too much longer until people start asking questions."

"Even so," he sighs. Beneath the table, away from the public's eye, Killian moves their joined hands subtly over her stomach. "I've enjoyed keeping our little one a secret."

She spots that special twinkle in his eyes, one she's seeing more and more often these days .It first appeared in the bathroom floor, his hooked arm around her waist, whispering reassurances to her temple, "Whatever happens when your phone shakes, I will be here.

"I love you, no matter what. You are my Swan."

But her phone vibrated and she reached for the test. The print is bold, clear as day, and the T has barely caught her eye when he's tackled her, burying his face in the crook of her neck. He pulled back and it was magic, that sparkle inlaid in blue, when he murmurs "A family. We're to be a proper family."

He gets it when he finds her on baby websites, perusing little booties and onesies, or when he's skimming through the baby name book before bed.

They're so incredibly happy for this. It's a little surprising, but it was bound to happen. Just a little sooner than they thought.

"It's hardly a secret if Henry knows," she reasons, but Killian shrugs it off, his silly smile still draped across his face. "Well, our little one," Emma emphasizes, "is growing fast, which means he'll be showing soon and my mother will actually kill me if I don't tell her before everyone else."

"He?" Killian asks quietly.

"Or she," she qualifies. "It could be either or."

"Either or what?" her father's voice booms. It seems that, while ensconced in their own world, her parents and infant brother appeared next to their booth.

"Nothing," Emma quickly answers, moving their hands to the table top. "Nothing, no one, why don't we get some food to go?" The quick change in topic has Emma practically jumping from her seat and pulling Snow to the counter to order.

"What's going on, Emma?" her mother asks.

"Nothing," she reiterates. Ruby spots them and approaches. "Hey Ruby. Can I have three grilled cheese, two onion rings, a plate of fries and two lemonades to go please?" The waitress nods and then Emma looks expectantly at Snow. "What do you guys want?"

A tad flabbergasted, Mary Margaret shakes out of her stupor and recites her lunch order. Emma feels her fiancé's hand slide on to the small of her back and she steps back a fraction, leaning into his hand and the warmth of his body that follows. His scruff catches on her ear when he whispers, "I bow to your judgement, my love." She nods minutely, indicating she's heard him.

Once their food is ordered, Charming leans against the counter. "What's up with you guys? Why the spontaneous lunchtime picnic?" he asks. Snow mutters something similar as she tends to her napping son.

Emma hesitates and looks to Killian. His eyebrow rises, silently pondering what's wrong

"It's just a nice calm day," she settles on. Now isn't the right time. "I thought we should take advantage of it."

Snow stands up and reaches for her husband's hand. She's wearing a knowing smile and it's then that Emma knows her mother knows, has probably known for a while now and just managed to keep a secret for the first time in her life. It like a cloudburst erupts within her chest and Emma is unbelievably happy. She tries to hide her joy by resting her head on Killian's shoulder, smiling as she always does when he pulls her into his side. His lips press to her hair and Emma bites her inner lip to keep from screaming with glee.

"So we're just taking advantage of the weather?" David confirms hesitantly. He doesn't completely believe her either, but if she insists, then he'll go with it. It's just how he is.

Her heart's close to bursting when she finally screws up the nerve to tell her parents.

"Well," she drawls, "there's something else."

Emma sees her father's surprised expression as she draws strength from the slight pressure Killian's hand exudes on her hip. She's gazing up at her fiancé when she says "I'm pregnant" and the light that strike up beyond his eyes…she can feel lit mirrored in her own.

Her father's grumble breaks her reverie He's pulling out his wallet and slaps a tenner in her mother's waiting hand.

"Mate," Killian groans incredulously. He throws his hook between the two couples. "You gambled on the possibility of our child?"

"I didn't," David says. Pointing to Snow, he continues, "That was all her."

Mary Margaret shrugs. "Just call it mother's intuition." Emma scowls at her, but the expression falters when she steps forward into her mother's open arms anyway. "Your boobs were also way bigger," she whispers in her ear.

Emma's whined "heyy" has her retreating into Killian's arms like a skittish dog.

"Either way, we're really excited for you guys," Snow says. She claps smally and looks to David for his reaction, just as Emma and Killian do. His face is stoic, giving no insight into his thought. The nerves from before return until David's laugh assuages her fears.

"Congratulations, guys," he says, hugging his daughter close, cradling her head in his hand. When he pulls away from her, he grips Killian's hand in a firm shake. "You understand the consequences if you hurt any member of my family?"

"Dave, I hate to be the bearer of bad news," Killian says with a smirk, "but with this babe on the way and our impending nuptials, I'm already part of your family."

Mary Margaret and Emma's joint laughter nearly drowns out David's groan.

 **a/n: based off this gif because reasons.**


End file.
